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THE 


RICH MAN 

AND 

THE POOR MAN. 

iTrom t\)c of 

GUSTAV NIERITZ. 

\ • 

BY 

Rev. WM. H. GOTWALD, A. M. 



PHILADELPHIA: 

LUTHERAN BOARD OF PUBLICATION. 

42 North Ninth Street. 

1875- 



■''V 


Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1874, by the 


LUTHERAN BOARD OF PUBLICATION, 


In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. 






Lancaster, Pa. ; 

Inquirer Printing and Publishing Company, 
Stereotypers and Printers. 



V 


PUBLISHED BY 

TI|I[(1TY EV/NGELICAL LUTHERAN 

Sunday-School 

OP 

MILTON, PENNSYLVANIA. 


REV. W. H. GOTWALD, A. M,, Pastor. 


MR. GEORGE STRINE, Sup't. 


r 


I 











•' t 


4 





CONTENTS 


THE RICH MAN, 

CHAPTER I. 


PAGE. 

I I 

THE POOR MAN, 

CHAPTER II. 


. 21 

“NO USE,” 

CHAPTER HI. 


• 30 

CHAPTER IV. 

REMOVAL OF THE POSTS, 


• 38 

SORROW, 

CHAPTER V. 


• 45 

HELP IN TIME OF 

CHAPTER VI. 

NEED, 


• 50 

ANT HILLS . 

CHAPTER VH. 


. 56 


CONTENTS. 


10 

V 

CHAPTER VIII. 

PAGE. 

WANT AND MISFORTUNE, . . . -67 

CHAPTER IX. 

RETRIBUTION, ...... 78 

CHAPTER X. 

FEAR AND JOY, ...... 86 

CHAPTER XI. 

THE uncle’s visit, ..... I05 

CHAPTER XH. 

THE RICH man’s REPENTANCE, . . . I09 



THE 


RICH MAN AND THE POOR MAN. 


CHAPTER I. 


THE RICH MAN. 



'HERE once lived a certain rich man, who 


was clothed, if not in purple and fine 
linen, at least in silk and velvet, and in the 
costliest modern material. He lived day by 
day in the greatest abundance, ate the most 
delicious food, and drank the purest and most 
expensive wines; all this he enjoyed from his 
immense income. So sumptuously were his 
meals prepared that as much was required for 
his use as would have supported scores of 


(II) 


12 THE RICH MAN AND THE POOR MAN. 

poor families. His residence, which was a 
palace, contained, in addition to the spacious 
sitting and sleeping-rooms, a dancing-room, a 
great dining-room, a billiard saloon, a library, 
and a number of reception-rooms. These 
were filled with fine furniture, elegant paint- 
ings, brilliant chandeliers and costly tapestry. 
Choice music was discoursed by admirable 
musical clocks. The feet of the inmates walked 
on bright floors. 

This rich man, whose name was Baron von 
Weiszborn, who was blessed by God with two 
sound limbs, always traveled in a gilded coach 
drawn by four horses. He was also blessed 
with two useful hands, and yet he had servants 
to attend him and dress and undress him as 
though he were a child. It was indeed a won- 
der that he did not have some one to put his 
food into his mouth. He lived in a huge resi- 
dence, in the neighborhood of which he owned 
an immense estate, which represented untold 


THE RICH MAN. 


13 


wealth, owing to the large coal mines it con- 
tained. He was a great lord. From the in- 
come of these mines he defrayed the heavy 
expense of his extravagant living. 

On a certain winter morning the Baron 
awoke, resting upon his downy pillow. The 
sun shone brightly through the lofty windows 
and penetrated the heavy curtains around his 
bed. For hours had the fire been burning 
briskly in his chamber, so that when the Baron 
stretched out his hand to ring the bell, the 
handle could of course not be chilled by the 
terrible out-door cold. The bell was sounded 
and the servant entered. 

“ What is the time ?” said the Baron. 

“ Half-past nine, my lord,” was the reply, 
ni get up,” returned the Baron. He did 
not, however, do exactly as he said, for he 
let himself roll out of the bed, and almost had 
to be lifted on his feet by the servant, who 
handed him his clothes, piece by piece. He 


14 the rich man and the poor man. 

then walked lazily to a sofa and lay down. 
The servant drew up the table and hastened 
to bring his lordship’s dainty breakfast upon 
silver dishes. 

“What kind of mixture is this?” asked 
the Baron angrily, as he withdrew the porce- 
lain saucer from his lips. “ This chocolate tastes 
like medicine. Ugh ! and this pastry has 
been made with rancid butter.” 

“Your lordship,” replied the servant, “it is 
the same kind of chocolate and pastry that 
you order every morning.” 

“Fellow !” snarled the Baron, “ I will not be 
imposed upon. It is strange that I cannot get 
decent food for my money ! Clear away these 
things. Where is the Baroness ?” 

“ In her chamber. She is making her toilet.” 

“ Bid her come to me as soon as she can,” 
said the Baron, seating himself at his writing- 
desk. In a half whisper he muttered : “ Sixty- 

three dollars for baktfig sugar — enormous I 


THE RICH MAN. 


15 


One hundred and eighty dollars for wine and 
other drinks — as I suspected! Music, tiventy 
dollars — poor at that. For wax candles, game, 
venison Here his voice grew in- 

audible. 

“ Good morning, Herr Baron/’ said the 
Baroness as she entered the room. “ What 
is your bill for yesterday ?” 

“ Heavy enough, my dear 1 The articles 
cost three hundred rix-dollars, or nearly one 
thousand tons of coal.” 

“ But then we have the coal,” replied his 
wife. “ If we did not have it, then we might 
complain.” 

“ But you can drain a well dry, too. Where 
are the children ?” 

“ Oscar is taking his lesson on the piano, 
and Lily is playing with her doll.” 

“ I had almost forgotten. The chocolate and 
the pastry taste abominably. Neither of them 
is fit to eat. You must secure better cooks.” 


1 6 THE RICH MAN AND THE POOR MAN. 

“Not SO,” answered the Baroness. “Your 
appetite is the cause of all this trouble. You 
must change your diet. You must eat some- 
thing sour, or sardines, or some oysters with 
a little mustard.” 

“ My lord,” interrupted the servant, as he 
entered the room, “ the coachman entreats per- 
mission to speak with you.” 

The Baron nodded assent. Soon the coach- 
man, Lazarus by name, entered. His appear- 
ance indicated alarm. His hands trembled. 
His knees seemed unable to support him. 

“ What do you want ?” asked the Baron in 
a threatening tone. 

“Your lordship,” began the coachman, “our 
heavenly Father knows that I could not pre- 
vent it. I don’t know of the least neglect 
that I can blame myself with.” 

“Who inquires concerning your innocence 
or guilt ?” growled the Baron. “ What has 
happened, I want to know ?” 


THE RICH MAN. 


17 

“ As I entered the stable this morning,” said 
the coachman with trembling lips, “ I found 
,” his voice failed him. 

“ What did you find ?” shouted the Baron. 

“ I found the horse in the front stall dead,” 
replied the coachman. 

The. Baron looked astounded. With star- 
ing eyes he gazed upon the messenger of evil, 
as though he had not heard his report cor- 
rectly. He foamed with anger. 

Beat me, your lordship !” began the coach- 
man, as he saw his master reach for his thick, 
Spanish cowhide. “ I will take the punish- 
ment, although I am innocent.” 

The Baroness ran to her husband and seized 
his uplifted arm. Will you disgrace your- 
self, my dear lord, by striking this poor man ? 
Dismiss him from your service. That will 
end the matter.” 

The Baron glared for an instant on the quiet 

countenance of his wife. 

2 * B 


1 8 THE RICH MAN AND THE POOR MAN. 

“You are right,” he assented angrily, biting 
his lip. Again he seemed to burn with anger, 
as he addressed the poor coachman with : 
“ You are dismissed. Out of my sight. Off 
with you !” 

“ Your lordship,” he said tremblingly. “I 
have a delicate wife and four little children, the 
youngest only five weeks old.” 

“ Away with you, I say.” 

With clasped hands and streaming eyes 
the unfortunate man turned to the Baroness 
and said, “ My dear lady, pity my five help- 
less little ones at home ! Intercede for me 
with my master. My wife is sick, and I fear 
the news of my discharge will make her 
worse.” 

• The Baroness turned away without reply. 

“ Think of our loss,” said the selfish Baron 
to his wife. 

“ A fearful loss ! Away ! Out of my sight, 
fellow.” 


THE RICH MAN. 1 9 

The coachman wept, but did not move. 
“ This very morning, thinking over this acci- 
dent, as I could not see how it would end for 
me in my fear and distress,” he said, “ I sought 
comfort and help from my blessed heavenly 
Father. I opened my Bible and read the beau- 
tiful parable of that kind, forgiving king, who 
forgave his servant a heavy debt. Ah ! thought 
I, my lord has received a hundred thousand 
times more from our heavenly Father. He 
will not do as that wicked servant did with his 
fellow-servant, not forgive him even a little debt. 
My master is a Christian and prays daily the 
Lord’s prayer, ‘ forgive us our debts as we for- 
give our debtors.’ I am not in any way to 
blame for the death of that horse. All I ask 
is to have him opened. Have mercy on me, 
my lord.” 

“ The boldness of this fellow transcends any- 
thing I ever heard of,” shouted the Baron 
furiously.. “ Begone, I say.” 


20 THE RICH MAN AND THE POOR MAN. 

“ So be it,” meekly returned the coachman, 
drying his eyes. “ I must submit. May God 
bring good out of my misfortune. But I beg 
of you to grant me a certificate that I have 
served you faithfully for five long years.” 

Yes,” retorted the Baron sarcastically, “I 
will give you a certificate — a certificate that 
will be of a great deal of use to you. I will 
speak personally to my acquaintances and tell 
them never to trust you with even a cat, much 
less a horse.” 

** God forgive you,” replied the poor crushed 
man as he left. 

“In short,” said the Baroness, “I could 
never endure that fellow on account of his 
name, Lazarus. In spite of myself, I never 
saw him without thinking of wounds and sores 
and even of death, and all sorts of unpleasant 
things.” 

Better for her would it have been had she 
thought more of such “ unpleasant ” things. 



CHAPTER II. 

THE POOR MAN. 

'' I "'HE Baron was true to his wicked and 
^ malicious threat. He did prevent the 
poor man from obtaining a situation as groom. 
After Lazarus had supported his family for 
several weeks on the little he had been able to 
save from his previous wages, the greatest ne- 
cessity drove him to seek employment as a 
miner in the coal mines of his former master. 
The foreman of the mines, through sympathy, 
gave him a situation, in consequence of which 
he moved his family into a small house, near 
his new place of work, containing two rooms, 
which answered for kitchen, sitting-room, 

dining-room, sleeping apartment, wood-shed 
( 21 ) 


22 THE RICH MAN AND THE POOR MAN. 

and wash-house. He did not need a lumber- 
room. One very cold winter morning, through 
the heavy-frosted window panes, which here 
and there were pasted with paper, a brilliant 
light of burning shavings lit up the surround- 
ing darkness. 

The good wife shook with the cold, as she 
stood before the stove and replenished the 
scanty fire with small sticks of wood and coal. 

Near the stove slept the infant babe, with its 
little feet nestled against a large dog that kept 
them nicely warm. In the mother’s hard bed 
lay the three-year old boy, who had scarcely 
room in which to stretch himself 

“ Gotthelf ! Elizabeth ! ” called the mother, 
“ get up ! It is time.” 

Soon after this a noise of some one tum- 
bling was heard. The door opened, and a 
half-clad youth of eleven entered the little 
room. 

“ Mother,” he called out in a tone of sur- 


THE POOR MAN. 


23 


prise, “just think, the water is all frozen every- 
where. How shall I wash myself now ? Good- 
morning!” he suddenly said, as he recollected 
that he had forgotten the usual salutation.' 

“ Take the hatchet and break the ice. Then 
you can get all the water you need,” replied 
the mother. 

Gotthelf withdrew, and very soon returned 
with a glowing face, showing that he had 
obeyed his mother’s orders. With him ap- 
peared his sister, some eight years of age. 

“ Oh 1” shiveringly said the little girl, “ it is 
cold! My cover froze as stiff as a board 
last night, just from my breath.” 

“ Let us hurry ourselves, so that we will 
have a warm room and some warm soup for 
father when he comes home,” bustled the 
mother. “After working eight hours, and at ^ 
night too, a man will have need of something 
to eat. Have you repeated your morning 
prayer, children, remembering your dear father, 


24 THE RICH MAN AND THE POOR MAN. 

and praying that God would bring him home 
safely from the coal-pit ?” 

Yes, mother,” answered both the children. 
The mother left her station at the stove to clean 
up the room. Gotthelf cut the brown bread 
into two dishes, one small and one large. 

In the latter dish the mother placed a slice 
of butter and some salt, in the other salt only. 
“ Hand them to me,” said Elizabeth, “ the 
water is boiling in the kettle.” 

The soup was poured out. The larger dish 
was placed on the stove to keep warm. The 
dog, for which the smaller dish was intended, 
without leaving his resting-place or even wag- 
ging his tail, for fear of disturbing the little one 
sleeping by his side, and whose body he kept 
warm, nevertheless gave evidence of thankful- 
ness for his breakfast. “ Beisman !” said Gott- 
helf, stroking the faithful animal, “you must 
wait until your soup is cooled off or you will 
burn your mouth.” 


THE POOR MAN. 


25 


Suddenly two heavy feet were heard stamp- 
ing the snow off at the door. “ Father ! father !” 
exclaimed the children and the mother. The 
door opened and with a “ God bless you,” the 
father appeared. “ God bless you ! God bless 
you !” sounded from every heart through 
every mouth ; and the father was greeted with 
many kisses of affection from all. 

“Children,” said the father, “this is a fine 
morning out doors. Your fire is fast melting 
the snow from the roof of the house, though 
the trees and bushes are all covered with white. 
The air is as pure as balsam, and the stars are 
as bright as gold buttons on a fine velvet coat. 
I was sleepy and tired in the coal-pit. But the 
cold has taken both away, and left nothing but 
a keen appetite. I do not need, as my former 
master, sardines and mustard and oysters to 
sharpen my appetite. I am afraid I have more 
appetite than soup.” Quickly the good wife 
took the soup from the stove, distributed the 
3 


26 THE RICH MAN AND THE POOR MAN. 

spoons and drew up to the table a leather- 
seated chair, the only one in the hut, and spe- 
cially reserved for the father. She took a little 
soup out of the dish for the young sleeper. 
Before the family partook of the scanty meal, 
the father, with folded hands, as also the 
others, prayed with reverence : “ When I retire 
to rest, my thoughts are concerning thee ; and 
when I awake, my speech is of thy loving kind- 
ness, O God. Thou art the source of all good 
and perfect gifts, dear Lord. Praise, thanks- 
giving and honor be to thy excellent name, for 
all our mercies come from thee. Amen.” 

What is your opinion of the poor miner, 
dear reader, in contrast with the rich Baron ? 

After the family had eaten their watergruel 
with much thankfulness, the wife prepared a 
soft bed for her tired husband. “Now rest, 
dear husband, you need it badly. Sleep well. 
We will keep as quiet as we can so as not to 
disturb you.” 


THE POOR MAN. 2/ 

“/ sleep!” answered Lazarus. “What do 
you think? Since, the Lord has deprived us 
of money, and makes my pay consist of stone 
coal, I have no time to sleep. I must take my 
wages this morning to the city and exchange 
them for something to eat, if we expect to live. 
This heavy load I intend yonder dog shall help 
me draw to market.” 

“Oh,” sighed the mother, “the heartless 
man I Will not the sufferings and tears of his 
servants bring Heaven’s vengeance upon him ?” 

“ Be calm, my dear,” replied her husband 
assuringly. “ God gives each one according to 
his desert. Let us therefore only think and 
speak and do good. Don’t be afraid. I’ll 
get along very well.” 

“ Holloa, neighbor Lazarus, will you go . 
along with me to the city?” Accompanying 
these words a gentle rap at the window was 
heard. 

“Yes I will,” was the prompt reply, “al- 


28 THE RICH MAN AND THE POOR MAN. 

though my bones ache yet from last night’s 
work, and my joints are rather stiff.” 

“ Have you heard the news ?” began the 
^ neighbor. “ Our lord has drawn fifty thousand 
dollars in the lottery.” 

Fifty thousand dollan F repeated the mother 
and children with astonishment. • 

“ Perhaps he will now pay us once more in 
money,” said Lazarus, inquiringly. 

“ I doubt it,” answered the neighbor. “ I 
believe he will be meaner than ever.” 

Very likely, but of what advantage is it, if 
a man gain the whole world and lose his own 
soul?” 

“ Yes, that is true,” replied the neighbor, 
moving on. 

Gotthelf, during this conversation, had gone 
out of the room, after he had called his dog. 
Soon the dog was heard barking and making 
a wonderful ado. 

Lazarus went to the window and saw his 


THE POOR MAN. 2g 

little wagon, full of coal, with the dog, Gotthelf 
and Elizabeth hitched into the traces, moving 
slowly from the house. 

“ What in the world are you doing there, 
children?” he called to them. 

We are going to the city,” replied Gott- 
helf “Just do you go to bed, father, and 
sleep soundly. We will attend to every- 
thing right, and come back safe and sound.” 

Away rolled the creaking wagon. The wife 
looked upon her husband with beaming eyes. 
He, wiping away tears of thankfulness as they 
rolled down his cheeks, said, “ Fortunate, in- 
deed, is that father or mother who lives to see 
the joy of having kind and obedient children.” 
Full of gratitude to a beneficent heavenly Pa- 
rent, the tired and wearied man laid himself 

down to rest. 

3 * 



CHAPTER III. 

USEr 

EARLY six months after this, the fore- 



^ man of the coal mines addressed Lazarus 
thus : “ I am sorry for you, my good fellow. 
Mining does not seem to agree with you. 
You are pale and thin ; the accident in the pit 
yesterday seems to have affected you seriously. 
Your face, I see, is badly burnt. I have a 
plan by which, if it be successful, I hope to 
relieve you. I have written a letter to our 
lord informing him of the death of the five 
miners yesterday. The coachman who was 
employed after your discharge has been dis- 
missed too. To-day the Baron celebrates his 
birthday. This is the time when persons 


'30) 


NO USE. 


31 




who have lost a position in his service gener- 
ally go to him and beg to be reinstated. I 
want you to take advantage of this occasion. 
For this purpose I have selected you to carry 
this letter to the Baron. Do you understand 
me ?” 

“ Right well,” answered Lazarus, with a 
smile. “ But I must confess, Mr. Foreman, 
I fear I will have my going for nothing. Be- 
lieve me, both your recommendation and my 
asking will do me no good with the Baron. It 
is true, the foul and impure air of the mine has 
shattered my former strong constitution. Yet 
I would cheerfully submit to all this, for the 
sake of my family, if only the wages were bet- 
ter. When I was coachman I bore many a 
night’s cold and wet, being obliged -to stand 
out with the coach, until I was almost frozen, 
while my master was in the house dancing and 
enjoying himself But I will be glad to take 
your kind advice, for the good of my wife and 


32 THE RICH MAN AND THE POOR MAN. 

children, to beg my lord to give me my old 
position. I thank you heartily for your inter- 
est in me.” 

I most earnestly wish you success in your 
application,” said the good-hearted foreman. 

Lazarus entered upon the journey clad in 
his very best dress, such as it was. He had 
on a short, dark, loose miner’s jacket, a miner’s 
cap, with two small brass pick-axes hanging 
from the side, and a miner’s staff in his hand. 
His burnt face was neatly bandaged. With 
doubt and a trembling heart he entered \he 
outer room of the mansion of the Baron von 
Weiszborn. Here he found the Baron’s two 
children. 

He is sleeping yet,” whispered Oscar to 
his sister. 

The entrance of the miner attracted the at- 
tention of the children. 

“ Is not this our Lazarus ?” inquired Oscar 
with unaffected joy. ''Good-morning, dear 


NO USE. 


33 


Lazarus! How are you getting along?” 
The youth pressed the hard hand of the miner 
with much affection. Lily also welcomed the 
poor man. 

“ What is the matter with your cheek ?” in- 
quired Oscar. 

“ An explosion in the mine burnt it,” re- 
plied Lazarus. 

“An explosion 1” exclaimed Oscar,- surprised. 
“ I heard no thunder here.” 

“ Oh, no I it was not lightning and thunder,” 
answered Lazarus. “ An explosion, such as I 
mean, is caused by fire coming in contact with 
the gas in the coal-pits, when all at once every- 
thing is on fire and nearly all the persons in 
the mine suffocate. Such an explosion we 
had last evening. I escaped with but a slight 
injury. Five others were suffocated, leaving 
twenty-two orphans and five widows. To in- 
form your excellent father of this terrible acci- 
dent I have come here.” 

c 


34 the rich man and the poor man. 

Oh father !” exclaimed Oscar hurriedly. “ I 
had almost forgotten him. Lily, do you re- 
member your speech yet? What is the be- 
ginning of mine ? Pshaw ! I knew it this 
minute yet, and 

The Baron’s bell rung and interrupted the 
youth’s thoughts. The children entered the 
room. Their father had lost a considerable 
sum of money during the past night at gam- 
bling, which seemed to fill him with anger to- 
wards every one. Lazarus heard him roughly 
inquire of the children, “ What do you want 
here so early ?” 

** Dear father,” began Oscar in a fearful but 
measured tone, “ Though it is the duty of chil- 
dren at all times to love and reverence their pa-- 
rents ^ yet there are certain days when especially 

He faltered — hesitated. Finally 

turning to Lily he asked, “ What is the rest ?” 
She did not remember either, being too fully oc- 
cupied in trying to remember her own speech. 


NO USE. 


“ Yet there are certain days zvhefi when 

when ” resumed Oscar in a stammer. 

“ When,” roared the Baron, “ a father must be 
ashamed of his son and feel angered at him.” 

“ I wanted to congratulate you upon your 
birthday,” replied Oscar, deeply grieved. 

The Baron made a reply that Lazarus could 
not distinctly hear. 

With tears Lily began her congratulatory 
speech in French, and like her brother could 
not finish it. She too received a scolding 
from her father. 

With downcast eyes the abashed children 
came out of their father's room. Oscar, wiping 
away the tears, came up to Lazarus and ad- 
dressed him with the inquiry, Won’t you 
become our coachman again? I will cheer- 
fully speak an interceding word for you with 
my mamma.” 

Lazarus did not have time to make a reply, 
for the servant called him to appear before 


36 THE RICH MAN AND THE POOR MAN. 

the Baron. The Baron’s countenance assumed 
its most unpleasant look when he saw his 
former coachman enter the room. Darker 
still grew his glance when he heard of the ex- 
plosion, and read the foreman’s letter. 

You are the cause of my misfortune,” mut- 
tered he. “Surely the explosion would not 
have occurred, and the five lives would not 
have been lost had you not been in the pit. 
It would be best for me to make you leave 
my service entirely.” 

Lazarus’ request died upon his pale lips. 
Not a word could he utter. He was dumb. 
The Baron took his seat at his desk, and after 
having written a letter, sealed it and handed it 
to him, saying, “ Out with you. Away from 
me as fast as you can !” 

The poor fellow obeyed with hurried steps. 

After the foreman had finished reading the 
Baron’s letter, he turned and said to the unfor- 
tunate man, “ Lazarus, I must pay you off this 


NO USE.” 


37 

very night The Baron commands it. He 
further orders me to engage no more married 
men to work in the mines. In case of death 
he then will not be obliged to support chib 
dren and widows. I deeply sympathize with 
you.” 

In silence Lazarus left. He thought within 
himself, as he returned to his home, on the 
vanity of trusting in man, but he spoke not a 

word. 

4 



ei 



CHAPTER IV. 

REMOVAL OF THE POSTS. 

HE hour was fast approaching when 



Lazarus was to be dismissed. Only a few 
hours remained in which he could earn some- 
thing for the support of his family. He left his 
dear ones quietly, not wishing to inform them 
of the Baron’s orders until his return. Rever- 
ently he joined in the usual prayer and hymn 
before entering the shaft. He then took his 
place in the bucket. The ascending miners 
met the descending ones with a good luck 
attend you.” Several called out, Lazarus, 
and you, Schroeder, we can make money to- 
day. The Adam’s pit is empty and the posts 
are to be removed.” 


(38) 


REMOVAL OF THE POSTS. 


39 

“ Then I must work there,” returned Laza- 
rus, “ for I am going down here for the last 
time; for that reason I must make double 
wages.” 

“ How so ?” inquired his companion Schroe- 
der. 

“ I am to be paid off this evening. My 
lord does not want me to work for him any 
longer,” replied Lazarus. i 

“ Well,” answered Schroeder, “ that is no 
reason why you should let gray hairs grow on 
your head. There are plenty of other coal 
mines about here. All you will have to do 
will be to go to another mine and get work.” 

Deeper and deeper descended the bucket. 

As they are proceeding, our young readers 
may be entertained with a short description 
of a coal mine. Coal is not usually dug out 
of the side of a mountain or hill, like stone. 
It generally lies in strata or beds. These 
beds, also called layers, differ both in length 


40 THE RICH MAN AND THE POOR MAN. 

and depth. Some are only a few feet thick, 
some twelve, others sixteen and some twenty 
feet. No precise number of feet can be given, 
for the thickness and length vary, as has been 
said, with each stratum. To prevent the earth 
from falling in after the coal has been removed, 
strong wooden posts or pillars are fitted in as 
protections and supports. Formerly these 
posts were allowed to remain until time had 
caused them, through decay, to fall. But men 
have become so avaricious that they will not 
allow these pillars to remain, as they should, 
as silent witnesses of the activity and industry 
that once proceeded around them. Their 
removal is attended with great danger. The 
manager in this case offered, as a reward, 
eighteen pennies for each post that would be 
moved from the mine about to be vacated. 

Lazarus and his associate had reached the 
Adam’s pit, that had been already deserted. 
They groped their way to the far end and be- 


REMOVAL OF THE POSTS. 4 1 

gan their dangerous task. Many posts were 
knocked down and dragged away in safety. 
Fewer and still fewer became the supports 
that were upholding the mighty and weighty 
mass of earth above them. As yet not a par- 
ticle of earth had fallen, and the lives of these 
two men did not seem to be endangered. 
True, here and there the earth cracked and the 
report sounded through the empty vault with 
a deep groan, as one pillar after another was 
removed. Yet this was of little significance 
to the miners, who were accustomed to these 
warning sounds. 

“ Here is a splendid fellow,” said Schroeder, 
as he stood beside a large prop. “ For this one 
our master will no doubt pay double price.” 

The report of Schroeder’s sledge now thun- 
dered against the post. But before it fell the 
miners escaped to a place of safety. A heavy 
crashing sound, similar to that of a clap of 
thunder, following a vivid flash of lightning, 
4 * 


42 THE RICH MAN AND THE POOR MAN. 

seemed to rend the canopy of earth above 
them from one end to the other. In the far dis- 
tance a low growling and rumbling is heard. 
It approaches nearer and nearer, and increases 
to a perfect roar, culminating in a report as 
loud as though the universe were wrecked. 

The earth groaned and quaked. Stones and 
huge masses of earth, detached from the roof 
of the mine, came crashing to the bottom. 
The bravest warriors would have fled from 
these invisible enemies. Not so these noble 
miners. They took refuge under what to 
them seemed a perfectly safe retreat. The 
ground still continued to be agitated as though 
seized with convulsions. It shook and trem- 
bled as though it never more would be at rest. 
At last the sound died away to a faint peal. 
A deep and fearful silence reigned once more 
over that vast mine. 

“ The earth complains mightily,” began 
Schroeder. “ Surely she regards it as an 


REMOVAL OF THE POSTS. 43 

insult to have her supports removed. But I 
must go again to that fellow. He will bring 
at least eight glasses of wine.” 

God forbid !” replied Lazarus, “ that I 
should risk my life for all the wine in the 
world. But if we are successful I will earn 
enough to pay for a week’s schooling for my 
two children.” 

“ I will give it another blow,” said Schroeder, 
with a laugh, as he lifted his ponderous ham- 
mer. “ It must soon fall. Be ready to drag 
it away as soon as it falls.” 

The miner struck, the prop fell, and with it 
the entire vault. Throughout the whole hol- 
low space echoed and re-echoed the dreadful 
crash. 

The impure air condensed hurled the doomed 
Lazarus against the wall. 

The terrified miners came running with their 
lanterns, and saw the brains of the unfortunate 
Lazarus still pulsating in his fractured skull. 


44 the rich man and the poor man. 

Lazarus had spoken truthfully, and Schroe- 
der too. He did indeed for the last time de- 
scend into that coal pit, and indeed also go to 
another master. 

“ And his soul was carried by angels into 
Abraham’s bosom. ” 

Poor Schroeder lay in his own prepared 
grave, waiting for the morning of the resur- 
rection. 

“ He has finished his course,” remarked an 
aged miner, as he approached Lazarus, and 
drew his bloody cap from his brow. 

They all united in offering a silent prayer 
for the widow and orphans that were left to 
mourn; and then they proceeded to remove 
the corpse. 





CHAPTER V. 

SORROW. 

HE widowed wife, unconscious of her great 



loss, was happy and cheerful. The follow- 
ing day being Sabbath, she busied herself in 
putting her house in order for the holy day. 
She made a discovery also which occasioned 
her more than an ordinary degree of pleasure. 
She saw for the first time, as she was nursing 
her little Rosel — oh, wonder! — the first lit- 
tle tooth that was coming through. Sufficient 
happiness for a devoted wife to wait with im- 
patience for the arrival of her loving husband. 
After school the two eldest children had gath- 
ered some wild flowers and put them into 
water for their father when he should come 


(45 


46 THE RICH MAN AND THE POOR MAN. 

home. This they knew would afford him 
pleasure. His wife had prepared his favorite 
dish for his supper — potatoes fried in lard; 
and also a piece of good fat sausage. For all 
these reasons the whole family anxiously 
awaited the father’s return. 

Soon they heard heavy steps approach 
the door, and with cheery voices they all 
shouted : “ Father is coming ! Father is 

coming !” 

Well, indeed, for them would it have been, 
had it not been so. Followed by a long train 
of sympathizing and excited men, women and 
children, two sturdy miners, with faltering 
steps and slow, carried the body of the sainted 
Lazarus upon a rustic bier, his head and limbs 
hanging over the sides. With a shout of joy 
the door was opened. The three children, 
followed by the mother, who was carrying her 
infant in her arms, rushed to the door. The 
feet of the stricken woman seemed to be riv- 


SORROW. 


47 


eted to the floor, her countenance was as pale 
as death, and her eyes stared with a stony 
glare of bewilderment. The potatoes burn 
and then become cold over the burned-out 
coals. On the floor screamed the little Rosel 
whom her mother had let fall in her shock. 
The clean floor of the tidy room is stained with 
the father’s blood, and soiled by the many feet 
of the rude but tender-hearted visitors. The 
flowers to please the living are now to become 
a wreath for the dead. See there, a frenzied 
woman, desperate, and yet upon her knees 
praying for the return to life of her dead hus- 
band. Pity the innocent, fatherless children 
as they kneel around his bier, kissing the pale 
lips of their father, caressing his cold cheeks, 
endeavoring to look once more into his loving 
eyes. Ah ! his dear bruised face has neither 
eyes, nor cheeks, nor lips, as it once had. 
They dared not, and it was a crushing thought, 
associate their father with that unsightly and 


N 

48 THE RICH MAN AND THE POOR MAN. 

disfigured mass of humanity. His naturalness 
was gone. All his features were changed. 
Gradually the tearful eye was turned from this 
scene of distress and bereavement, to that 
other and better country, where souls are for- 
ever happy in the joy and rest of God. Oh, 
what a source of comfort trust in God becomes 
at a time like this ! When men and the world 
fail us, Christianity cheers and upholds us. 

The hard swollen hand that had labored so 
kindly for them, even that day, the children 
kissed most affectionately and tenderly. Ah ! 
their burning tears cannot heal their sorrow ! 

Oh, home of affliction and anguish, when 
will again the sun of peace and happiness shine 
upon thee ! Oh death !” exclaims the heart- 
broken mother, “ why didst thou enter this my 
humble hut, and rob me of my only hope, my 
only comfort and support, while many others 
were waiting for thy approach, and longing to 
have the burden of life removed !” 


SORROW. 49 

The sorrowful wife bewailed her husband, 
the fatherless children wept ; and as they beheld 
the dark and dismal grave — that narrow, scanty 
receptacle for all the living — it was almost 
more than heart could endure. 

The hymn commencing, 

“Jesus, my refuge and my trust,” ' 

was sung by the Sabbath-School children. 

“O death, where is thy sting? O grave, 
where is thy victory ? ” were the words upon 
which the pastor spoke at the open grave with 
much feeling and great earnestness. 

The mourners, as also the others of the 
humble audience, followed with wistful eyes 
the uplifted finger of the pastor as, at the close 
of his sermon, he pointed to heaven, where 
God shall wipe away all tears,” where “ there , 
shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor cry- 
ing ; neither shall there be any more pain but, 

“ Where we shall bathe our souls 

In seas of heavenly rest.” 

D 


5 



CHAPTER VI. 

HELP IN TIME OF NEED. 

HAT, above all other things, is the 



^ ^ most oppressive, sparing neither wife nor 
children, taking with its strong arm even the 
bread from the mouths of the hungry, which 
sells the last article of furniture left the sor- 
rowing poor ; what is it that presses so heavily 
with its ruthless hand; what, hvX the expense of 
interring a beloved one? The last penny is 
exacted. The last farthing must be paid. 
When wjll men learn sense ? When will the 
world cease to wound those already wounded ? 

The few dollars due the wife, almost the 
blood-money of her husband, were all ex- 
pended in defraying the funeral expenses, and 


(50) 


HELP IN TIME OF NEED. 


5 


this little all was not sufficient. Nothing 
scarcely remained to the poor widow but the 
empty house, and her eyes to behold the extent 
of her misery. 

The grief she suffered on account of the 
death of her husband, keen and terrible as it 
was, must partly give way to concern and 
anxiety for the future, dark and uncertain. 

Where and how shall I obtain bread for my 
children?” she inquired With tears. The 
scanty food given her by the poor neighbors 
was all consumed. 

Sitting, on a summer evening, with her little 
Rosel sound asleep on her lap, the widow of 
Lazarus was planning how to make a livelihood ; 
what to do to secure bread for her children. 
She lost herself in thought, and involuntarily 
allowed her mind to dwell upon her dear, sainted 
husband. Sighs burst forth, and tears fell 
fast. No one was near to disturb her pious 
though mournful meditations, for the children 


52 THE RICH MAN AND THE POOR MAN. 

had gone to the woods to gather wood and 
whortleberries. 

A gentle rap was heard at the window. It 
frightened her at first, as in her nervousness 
she unreasonably thought it was the spirit of 
her departed husband coming back to earth to 
greet her. She gently laid the little one on its 
bed and drew nearer to hear more distinctly. 
Her first impression was confirmed, as she saw 
no one. But as she observed more closely she 
discovered a nicely-folded piece of white paper 
lying on the window-sill. She took it hesitat- 
ingly in her hand, and from the weight of it, 
judged that it contained money. Her conclu- 
sion was correct ; for when she opened it, eight 
bright, shining dollars dropped out before the 
eyes of the astonished woman. She hastened 
to get a light to read the inclosed note, to 
learn what the money was for. 

The contents of the note were as follows : 

“ For the widow Lazarus and her children.” 


HELP IN TIME OF NEED. 53 

Who could be the generous donor ? She 
tried in vain to conjecture. Oh, how gladly 
she would have received the money as coming 
from her husband, if this were possible ! 
Could the giver have been a silent witness of 
the joy and pleasure his eight dollars occa- 
sioned, he would have felt amply repaid. He 
would surely have realized the Scripture truth, 
“ It is more blessed to give than to receive.” 

Confidence and faith in the providence of 
God were confirmed, reliance and dependence 
on man were restored in the heart of the God- 
fearing mother. A cheerful countenance was 
again to be seen. The canker of deep concern 
for the future ceased its corroding. All was 
sunshine. The widow saw herself enabled to 
begin a small business. She bought herself 
a small stock of coal, which the children, with 
the aid of the dog, took to the city and sold at 
a small profit. She also bought thread, yarn, 

wool, ribbons, and needles, which she sold to 
5 ^ 


54 the rich man and the poor man. 

the neighbors. She took in washing, made 
braid, caps, stockings and lace. She did all 
manner of general work that she was compe- 
tent to do. In this way she was enabled to 
support her family, and to send the two eldest 
children to school in the afternoon. Her pale 
face began to assume its former rosy appear- 
ance ; her shattered constitution regained its 
vigor; and she felt that she had very great 
reason to be thankful to God for his great 
goodness and mercy to her. 

The four children were blessed with uninter- 
rupted health. The most pleasant of all their 
walks was to their father’s grave, which they 
kept covered with flowers. Gathered around’ 
it with her children, the mother admonished 
them to give their hearts to Jesus ; to imitate 
the example of their sainted father ; to grow 
up useful to the church and to the community ; 
and learn to love and serve their blessed Saviour 
here, so that after death they might enjoy his 


HELP IN TIME OF NEED. 


55 


glorious presence in heaven. Never did they 
leave that peaceful place, so sacred to them, 
without resolving anew to live in the fear of 
the blessed Lord. 




CHAPTER VII. 

ANT HILLS. 

/^^NE morning Gotthelf and Elizabeth were 
patiently waiting for some one to pur- 
chase their coal. At last a vegetable dealer 
appeared, and having concluded the bargain, 
had the children take the coal to his residence. 
By their conversation he learned where the 
children were from. He inquired whether there 
were not many ant hills in their forests. 

“Yes, plenty of them. For the little black 
things pinch my fingers when I gather berries 
and mushrooms.” 

“I deal in ants,” replied the man. “You 
could earn a good deal in addition to what you 

make on your coal if you would gather the 
(56) 


ANT HILLS. 


57 


eggs of the ants. I will pay you a good price 
for all you bring me. I will also tell you how 
to gather the eggs most easily.” 

Eagerly did Gotthelf give attention as the 
dealer told him the proper method of gather- 
ing the eggs. Gotthelf thought he would 
sooner begin the work of gathering that very 
day than wait until the morrow. After school 
he carried his resolution into execution. 

“ Mother,” he said, “ give us a large cloth 
and a dish, or a bag. We want to earn some 
money.” 

“ How?” inquired the mother. 

“ I don’t want to tell, before we know that 
we will succeed. It is nothing bad ; of this 
you may rest assured.” 

The mother, knowing that her children 
would not be guilty of a dishonorable or dis- 
honest deed, and only too willing to gratify 
them in their effort to make a little money, 
gave them the cloth and the dish. In addition 


58 THE RICH MAN AND THE POOR MAN. 

to these, Gotthelf took a small shovel along. 
After the pair had reached the forest, they soon 
discovered a fine nest of ants under an old tree. 
Gotthelf at once spread out the cloth, folded the 
edges about the breadth of a hand, and under 
the folds placed small twigs of green. He then 
took the shovel, dug out the entire nest, and 
placed it in the centre of the cloth. 

** Now let us see whether the gentleman’s 
plan will work,” said Gotthelf “ He told me 
that the ants would carry their eggs under the 
folds of the cloth and the twigs, and then leave 
and search for a safe place to deposit them 
again. Not one would remain.” 

This the ants now really did. They labored 
hard to carry all their eggs beneath the folds 
of the cloth. If-one ant was not strong enough 
to carry an egg, another would come to its 
assistance. Very shortly the eggs had all dis- 
appeared. The ants began to leave the cloth, 
as had been said they would. The children 


ANT HILLS. 59 

gathered the eggs under the folds into their 
dish. 

“ This goes splendidly/’ shouted Gotthelf ; 
“ we can fill our dish to-day yet.” 

When they discovered the second nest, 
Elizabeth perceived something near it very 
singular. This something was quite small, 
and looked like a coral growth. It consisted 

of leaves, partitions and cells, and was a brown 

♦ 

membraneous bulk. The children had never 
seen such a curiosity. They turned it up and 
over, and over and up again and again, with 
great astonishment. It was as light as cork. 
What was it ? • 

“Horrible! Just look at the ants!” ex- 
claimed Elizabeth, as she exhibited her arm 
covered with ants. 

Gotthelf, who noticed the ants on his sister’s 
arm, threw this queer-looking thing on the 
ground, saying : “ I will take it along home ; 
perhaps mother can tell us what it is.” 


60 THE RICH MAN AND THE POOR MAN. 

*‘Here is another ant’s nest,” called out the 
little four-year-old Fritz, “ and Something else 
too. Oh, Lizzie, come here and see it !” 

The others came and saw this wonder. They 
opened the nest, and found within a skeleton 
of a bird, whose skin and flesh had been very 
nicely removed, leaving nothing but the bones. 
This new prodigy called forth from the young 
ant-seekers many exclamations of surprise. 
Suddenly they heard a gentle rustling of the 
leaves. They looked around affrighted, and 
saw standing before them the children of the 
Baron. 

“Oh, my birdie!” called out Lily, as she 
saw the little skeleton in Gotthelf’s hand. 

“ Be quiet,” answered her brother ; “ they will 
not want to keep what is ours.” 

“ That little skeleton is our dead canary,” 
said Oscar, addressing Gotthelf “ We placed 
it here to have the ants eat off the skin and 
flesh.” 


ANT HILLS. 


6l 


“ The ants to eat them off!” ejaculated Gott- 
helf, as he handed Oscar the skeleton. 

“ Yes,” answered Oscar, as he passed the 
skeleton to his sister; “this is all the work of 
the ants. For hours I have sat and watched 
these active, industrious, shrewd and intelli- 
gent little insects, as they were gathering the 
material for their homes, which was often thirty 
times as large as the ant that was dragging it 
along. And what ingenuity they display in 
the construction of their nests I They exhibit 
almost human skill. What do you intend do- 
ing with those little things ?” 

“ These are ant eggs,” answered Gotthelf. 

“No!” said Oscar. “These can’t be ant 
eggs ? How could these little ants lay such 
large eggs ? The eggs must be as small as 
grains of mustard seeds ; why do you gather 
them?” 

“ I expect to sell them. I have the price 

already offered,” answered Gotthelf. 

6 


62 THE RICH MAN AND THE POOR- MAN. 

“And what do you expect to do with the 
money?” inquired Oscar. 

“ I intend to buy two rose bushes to plant 
on my father’s grave.” 

“ Come with me,” said Oscar, “ I will make 
you a present of two rose bushes out of my 
own garden. But let the ants alone ; they are 
of great service here. This spring one of my 
finest plum trees was almost covered with 
caterpillars and other insects. I contrived by 
means of some syrup to entice the ants on the 
tree, and then up I put a ring of tar around 
the tree, so as to keep them there. Soon after- 
wards the caterpillars had all disappeared. 
And now show me a surgeon who could clean 
and put a skeleton in a nicer condition than 
the ants have put this one that you have four 1.” 

As this conversation was carried on, Eliza- 
beth came near, bringing the great wonder — 
the wonderful something — that they had first 
found. 


ANT HILLS. 


63 

“ What is that ?” inquired Oscar, astonished. 

The children told him where and how they 
found it. Oscar must not only have had an 
excellent teacher, but must himself have been 
a close student, for he gave the children an in- 
telligent explanation of this curiosity. 

“This is a fortunate circumstance for you, 
that you discovered this beautiful wonder,” said 
Oscar. “ If you desire it, I will take it along 
and give it to the director of the royal cabinet 
of natural curiosities, who visits my parents 
nearly each week. He will certainly purchase 
it, and pay you a good price for it.” 

Gotthelf very cheerfully consented to this. 
He restored the ant eggs to their old nest, and 
with his sisters followed Oscar: 

The widow Lazarus, living as she did in 
close proximity to the summer residence of 
the Baron, did not permit herself to be seen by 
him ; and the Baron had not once made inquiry 
concerning the destitute widow and her chil- 


64 THE RICH MAN AND THE POOR MAN. 

dren. It appeared as though he cherished a 
deadly hatred towards them. No wonder the 
two orphans felt alarmed as they approached 
the palace yard. They had already turned 
their feet to retrace their steps, for they caught 
a glimpse of the threatening countenance of the 
Baron. But Oscar, perceiving their purpose, 
assured them that his father would not molest 
them. They again followed. Oscar, to pre- 
vent his father from scolding, called out from 
a distance: “Father, see this! What a fine 
curiosity for the royal cabinet of natural 
sciences. These children found it.” 

The Baron became so interested in this little 
curiosity, and in the skeleton of the canary, 
that he forgot his anger, and allowed Oscar to 
give the children rose bushes, vegetables and 
cakes, which they took home with great re- 
joicing. 

After three days, Oscar and his sister re- 
turned to the widow’s house. He counted out 


ANT HILLS. 65 

five dollars for the mother, as the price of the 
little wonder her children had found. Nor did 
Lily come with empty hands. She brought 
some half-worn clothing for each of the family, 
which her mother had given her. 

Never before did these children, with all the 
untold riches and splendor of their father, en- 
joy themselves so well as when they saw the 
happiness their visit occasioned this poor fam- 
ily. The unknown generous friend and the 
Baron’s children brought occasional sunshine 
into the destitute family. 

That generous friend repeated his visit. For 
one evening a rap was again heard at the win- 
dow ; the mother looked all around, but could 
see no one. Again she found a paper contain- 
ing six dollars, and a note written by the same 
hand that had written the former one, and also 
the very same words. 

As the poor widow was devoutly and sin- 
cerely thanking God for this timely gift, and 
6 * E 


66 THE RICH MAN AND THE POOR MAN. 

praying Heaven’s blessing upon the kind giver, 
the children entered the house, having been out 
gathering wood. They told their mother that 
they had noticed Oscar and Lily go away from 
their house as they were coming from the 
woods. These seemed to be the real, true and 
only friends in need to the widow and the 
fatherless children. 




CHAPTER VIII. 

WANT AND MISFORTUNE. 

' J| ''HE approach of fall induced the Baron to 
leave his country residence, and return 
to his palace. The fields were bare ; the flow- 
ers faded ; the birds were gone. Winter, with 
its chilling blasts, its snow and ice, its pinch- 
ing want and indoor suffering, was at hand. 
The widow Lazarus had much to fear from its 
return. The days were so short that the lamps 
had to be lighted early so as to enable the in- 
mates of the family to get through with their 
work. The widow felt the full force of this. 
Poverty and constant labor compelled her to 
keep her lamp burning, even though dimly. 

This inefficient light was not only an inconve- 
(67) 


68 THE RICH MAN AND THE POOR MAN. 

nience, but a source of a great deal of acute 
suffering. Her eyes, from constant use and 
straining, became greatly inflamed. They 
finally became so sore that she was obliged to 
desist from her work. Misfortune seldom goes 
single-handed. The hard-hearted and greedy 
village merchant threatened to prosecute the 
unfortunate widow if she would continue to 
sell coal without license. The license would 
have cost more than her profits amounted to. 
Nor was this all. He forbade her to sell yarn 
or wool, or any of the articles she had prepared 
for sale. To fill her cup of sorrow and misfor- 
tune to the brim, the two youngest children 
took very sick. She could obtain no human 
assistance ; she could not afford to employ a 
physician. Elder tea was their only medicine ; 
a comfortless bed their only resting-place. 
The only means of subsistence now left for the 
family was the small trade in coal. 

Some three days before Christmas, the super- 


WANT AND MISFORTUNE. 


69 

intendent of the mines visited the palace of the 
Baron to make a report of the income from the 
works. The Baron was disappointed. He ex- 
pected a much larger sum of money than the 
accounts showed to be due him. He charged 
the man outright with dishonesty. 

This unjust and slanderous charge the super- 
intendent would not stand ; he hurled the base 
and baseless charge back into the teeth of his 
rich employer as utterly false ; adding : 

“ Your wealth does not justify you in your 
abuse of an honest poor man. Take care, sir! 
There is an evening to each day, but the even- 
ings are not all alike.” 

” What do you mean by that ?” roared the 
Baron. 

“ Nothing very special,” answered the super-’ 
intendent. Only that no one should count 
the evening of his life safe until he knows it 
to be so; time changes persons and condi- 
tions. In our hymn-book we are taught that 


70 THE RICH MAN AND THE POOR MAN. 

* with God it is an easy matter to humble the 
lofty and abase the proud ; to make the rich 
poor and the poor rich.’ ” 

“ Pshaw !” retorted the Baron. “ I shall prove 
you and your hymn-book both liars. If the 
swift lightning should strike my house, and 
burn it and all its rich contents to ashes, and 
if the stream of water, now so near, should rise 
and wash away all my pleasure grounds, and 
drown all my cattle — destroy all here that is 
mine, I would still have enough ; yes, many 
times more than sufficient to rebuild a far more 
costly palace than this one, and restock the 
grounds too. My coal mines are of untold 
value, and afford me, as you know, a vast in- 
come.” 

The superintendent felt deeply mortified at 
the insult offered him by the grasping Baron, 
and decided to leave the thankless service of 
his present master, and engage himself else- 
where. The Baron shrewdly resolved to anti- 


WANT AND MISFORTUNE. 7 1 

cipate the contemplated plan of his foreman. 
To accomplish this he very early the next 
morning ordered his newly-purchased span of 
horses and his glittering coach before the door. 

Oscar, who had again saved a few dollars 
for the poor widow, entreated his father so 
earnestly to accompany him that he gave his 
consent. The good-hearted and happy lad 
entered the brilliant vehicle, thinking little of 
its dazzling splendor, indeed of nothing but 
the great joy he was about to afford the poor 
family with his few dollars. 

On this same morning, Gotthelf and Eliza- 
beth, as usual, were on the road to the city 
with their small wagon loaded with coal. At 
the break of day they had left their home. 
Gotthelf and Beiszman the dog were drawing 
the wagon, and Elizabeth was behind pushing. 
A small hand-basket inside of a larger one, 
with which to carry the coal into the houses 
of the purchasers, lay on the top of the coal. 


72 THE RICH MAN AND THE POOR MAN. 

and contained the breakfast and dinner of the 
children. 

It was very cold ; the air, pure and piercing, 
seemed to penetrate the heaviest clothing. 
The creaking of the wheels, as they rolled 
over the frozen snow, afforded great sport for 
the children. They had gone about one-half 
of the journey when Gotthelf stopped the 
wagon. He reached for the small basket, and 
took out of it a piece of dark bread, which he 
divided equally between his sister and the dog 
and himself The terrible cold had given a 
keen appetite to the orphans. As they were 
eating, Gotthelf said to his sister : 

“ I wish I was just a little rich ; then I would 
buy a horse to haul these coals for us.” 

“ That would be good,” said Elizabeth de- 
murely ; “ or would Beiszman and I have to 
draw the cart, and you ride along side of us ?” 

“ Certainly not,” said Gotthelf, laughing. 
“ But it wouldn’t do anyhow, for if we had a 


WANT AND MISFORTUNE. 


73 


horse, then mother would have to sell good 
Beiszman. This I wouldn’t have happen for 
any price. I’d sooner, by all odds, pull twice 
as hard.” 

“Yes, you are right,” answered Elizabeth. 
“ But I do wish for some warm clothes, that 
we needn’t freeze; and our dear mother, just 
think of her, and ” 

Here a distant noise interrupted the conver- 
sation. 

“ I suppose the men at the quarries have 
been blasting rocks again,” remarked Gotthelf 
to the great relief of his sister. “ Mother says 
it is dangerous so near the road; horses take 
fright, and often cause accidents. The farmers 
have entered complaint about the matter, and 
protest bitterly against it.” 

At this instant a coach came dashing along 
with the utmost speed. 

“ Awful !” exclaimed Elizabeth, turning pale. 

She had great reason to be frightened. It 
7 


74 the rich man and the poor man. 

was the Baron’s coach. No one was in it but 
Oscar, who was making fruitless endeavors to 
jump out, and was stretching forth his hands 
imploringly. The horses were coming on a 
full run. The road made a short, abrupt turn 
near where the children were standing, along- 
side of which was a precipice, and beneath it 
rolled the dark waters and ice-blocks of the 
angry mountain stream. At a glance, Gotthelf 
saw that if the horses reached this turn in the 
road, at their present rate of speed, they would, 
together with the coach, be plunged into the 
river. There was no time left him for much 
consideration ; what was to be done must be 
done at once. Gotthelf on the instant drew their 
wagon into the middle of the road, and dragged 
his sister out of the way. What he had conjec- 
tured had already come to pass ; for the horses, 
crashing into the rude wagon, tumbled it over 
and over again, and became entangled in the 
debris a few seconds, long enough for some 


WANT AND MISFORTUNE. 75 

workmen near by to take hold of the terrified 
and trembling animals and unhitch them. 

Oscar was saved ; the coach and horses too 
— all through Gotthelf’s thoughtfulness and 
heroic conduct. But death was nevertheless pre- 
sent, and claimed one as a victim — namely, the 
faithful Beiszman. The poor suffering animal 
was howling in agony and rolling on the ground 
with bruised and broken limbs. The wagon 
was smashed to pieces ; the coal that was in- 
tended to bring food into the destitute home, 
to fill the hungry mouths with bread, was all 
scattered around over the ground. Now the 
last hope of the poor family is gone — poor 
Beiszman and the wagon. Forgetting every- 
thing else, Gotthelf caresses the poor dumb 
brute ; with their eyes suffused with bitter tears, 
the grieving children behold their companion 
in labor, their protector in danger, their friend, 
lie dying by the roadside. Upon their knees 
the two children kneel alongside of the dog. 


76 THE RICH MAN AND THE POOR MAN. 

“ My dear Beiszman ! my poor Beiszman !” 
exclaimed Gotthelf, with clasped hands, as 
Elizabeth wiped the blood from the faithful 
animal’s head. “ My dear Beiszman !” he re- 
peated, with a sigh, “ I am to blame, I am your 
murderer ; pardon me, my good Beiszman ! 
I had to do it; the good Lord suggested to 
me this way of saving Oscar’s life. He has 
done so much for us, and I had to save 
him!” 

The dumb brute appeared to understand 
Gotthelf’s words, and by the feeble wag of his 
tail seemed to make reply: “Don’t concern 
yourself, my dear little master, about me; you 
have done perfectly right.” 

At last the children thought it possible to 
save Beiszman, if they could take him home. 
So they got the large basket, and placed him 
in it ; they then lifted the basket between them, 
and with their precious treasure endeavored to 
take it home as best they could. They forgot 


WANT AND MISFORTUNE. // 

all about the wagon and the coal ; they felt 
neither the fatigue, nor hunger, nor the cold. 

“ Is he alive yet?” continually inquired Eliz- 
abeth, who received the invariable answer : 

"Yes.” 

" Let us see,” she exclaimed, after a time. 

The dog was quiet ; with closed eyes he lay 
in the basket ; his breathing was barely percep- 
tible. As the children were speaking tenderly 
to him, and using all manner of endearing epi- 
thets, he opened his eyes once more — feebly — 
very feebly. Once more he licked the hand 
of Gotthelf with his warm tongue, and then 
died. 

The widow was alarmed as she heard the 
children approach with loud lamentations, car- 
rying the body of the martyred Beiszman. 

7 ^ 



CHAPTER IX. 

RETRIBUTION. 

return to the Baron: The Baron 

^ had given orders to his coachman to stop 
at a certain place by the way, as he desired 
to transact a little business there. Having 
reached the designated place, the coach- 
man stopped and descended to open the 
door for the Baron to step out. Something 
frightened the horses, and they started to run. 
The Baron, trembling for his own safety, and 
thinking that the horses could not be stopped, 
leaped from the coach, and with serious conse- 
quences. Owing to the speed of the coach, 
he was hurled head foremost against a stone. 

He lay upon the ground senseless and speech- 
(78) 


RETRIBUTION. 79 

less. In the mean time the coachman came at 
full speed in one direction, almost breathless, 
and Oscar from the other, who, hurriedly thank- 
ing his kind deliverers for their opportune aid, 
quickly ran to his father. 

Oscar found his father in a sad plight, wel- 
tering in his blood. Ready and willing hands 
were found to carry the Baron into a neigh- 
boring house, and place him upon a soft bed. 
Messengers were sent at once for physicians ; 
the Baroness was also sent for. The opinion 
was generally entertained, from the great flow 
of blood, that the unfortunate man had cut an 
artery, which foreboded little good. The wife 
and son did not leave the wounded man’s bed 
during the whole of the first night. Nor did 
the physician leave the house. 

The next day the bandages were removed 
for an examination, and finding that the blood 
did not flow, the physician deemed it advis- 
able to remove the Baron to his own resi- 


80 THE RICH MAN AND THE POOR MAN. 

dence. In order that the noise and jolting of 
the vehicle might not affect him, the road was 
thickly covered with straw and sand. The 
community was greatly alarmed and concerned 
for his safety. For many days his critical con- 
dition did not appear to improve. But now a 
favorable change was noticed ; the fever left him, 
sleep returned, and with it, although slowly, 
strength also. The Baron showed no dispo- 
sition for conversation, and therefore all re- 
frained from addressing him. With signs and 
motions mostly, seldom with words, did he 
make known his wishes, which were at once 
gratified. ^ 

After several weeks had elapsed, the Baron 
felt himself sufficiently strong to leave his bed, 
though not his chamber. This he did with 
the assistance of his wife and son, who were 
overjoyed to see their husband and father again 
out of bed. The Baron did not seem to be 
impressed with the joy his family realized in 


RETRIBUTION. 


S 


seeing him improve so happily; he had no 
thankful heart for his recovery. Having walked 
up and down the room several times, he stopped 
suddenly, and said : 

“ Send for a notary ; I intend to make my 
will.” 

This remark astonished those present. His 
wife endeavored to reason him out of this ap- 
parent whim, but without success. He was 
determined to have his will made. The notary, 
with the necessary witnesses, soon appeared. 
The Baron dictated in concise and legal terms 
the disposition of his vast estate. The officer, 
having finished writing the document, handed 
it to the Baron for his signature. He took the 
pen and signed his name on both sides of the 
testament. But, instead of the customary and 
ordinary words, “ This is my last will, etc.,” 
the astonished notary read, This is my last 
FOREMAN OF THE COAL MINES. Charles Fved- 
erick^ Baron von WeiszbomT 


F 


82 . THE RICH MAN AND THE POOR MAN. 

The notary, whose labor was all in vain with 
such a signature, endeavored to persuade the 
Baron to sign it correctly; or, better still, give 
him orders to copy this, so that he might sign 
it properly. 

“ No,” returned the Baron, “ so it shall re- 
main. My coal mines are all in my head, and 
I give you my word of honor that I will 
never again employ a foreman for my mines. 
Why should I have one, since I can do all the 
business myself? Then no one can cheat 
me. 

The notary was irritated, as he saw all his 
efforts unsuccessful. 

“ Leave that will here with me,” said the 
Baron. “ I will reward you well, by sending you 
a whole load of coal, for having freed me’ from 
my foreman.” The officer and the witnesses 
quickly left the room, and informed the Baron- 
ess of what had transpired. Frightened almost 
to death at this mental derangement of her 


RETRIBUTION. 83 

husband, she hastened to his bedside, and 
anxiously inquired, “ what was wrong?” 

“ Oh,” he replied, “ nothing more than this : 
I will not need any longer to quarrel with my 
scoundrelly foreman ; I am rid of him now. 
The joy I feel has made me hungry and thirsty ; 
but I dare eat nothing but coal, and drink no- 
thing but water, for I lose every day a thousand 
tons of coal at my mine, and cannot make it 
up. The water, too, I need for steam. How 
then am I to live ?” 

From this time forward the unfortunate 
Baron would eat nothing but black bread, and 
drink nothing but water, and that most reluc- 
tantly. The bread he imagined to be coal. 
The consulting physicians, after a careful ex- 
amination and mature deliberation, decided that 
a splinter of bone was pressing upon the brain. 
In his perverted imagination he constantly 
thought robbers were trying to steal his coal, 
and because he supposed the coal to be all 


84 the rich man and the poor man. 

in his head, he would allow no operation to 
be performed upon him. They were at last 
obliged to force him to submit. 

Of what advantage or profit is now his 
boasted wealth ! He has become one of the 
most miserable of mortals. The foreman’s 
prophecy was now literally fulfilled : 

“ Let no man deceive himself, God will not 
be mocked ; for whatsoever a man soweth, that 
shall he also reap.” “ All Scripture is given by 
inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, 
for reproof, for correction, for instruction in 
righteousness.” 

Had the Baron read and studied the word 
of God, as he should have done, he would have 
taken warning from the terrible and humili- 
ating punishment of King Nebuchadnezzar, 
who, after being deprived of the best and no- 
blest gift of God to man — reason ^ — was de- 
throned, was driven out from the habitations 
of man, was made to eat grass like the oxen of 


RETRIBUTION. 85 

the field, and was watered by the dew of heaven, 
until his hairs were grown like eagle’s feathers, 
and his nails like talons. 

“ For God resisteth the proud, but giveth 

grace unto the humble.” 

8 






CHAPTER X. 

FEAJ? AND yOY. 

W HEN Gotthelf and Elizabeth had told 
their mother, with much grief and many 
tears, about the accident, she was anxious that 
they should hasten back to the unfortunate 
place, and gather up the scattered coal and the 
fragments of the wagon, before some thieving 
hands might remove them. But, after some 
talk, she decided that it would be better for 
her to go. She therefore gave minute directions 
to the two eldest children what to do for the 
two younger ones who were lying sick with 
the measles. She enjoined upon them special 
care and watchfulness. The widowed mother 

then left for the designated spot. 

( 86 ) 


FEAR AND JOY. 8/ 

She reached there, but not a trace of the coal 
could be seen ; and only a few worthless pieces 
of the wagon could be picked up. Her anxi- 
ety was truly pitiable; the hunger and want at 
her little home rendered her almost beside her- 
self, and now the very last means of supporting 
herself and her little children was gone. Not 
only in time of need but at all times, the good 
woman prayed to God; but to-day, when the 
last ray of hope was gone, when the sun of 
prosperity had altogether set, and the widow’s 
prospects were all blighted, if ever she prayed 
with fervent devotion and earnest supplication 
she did to-day. She also inspired her children 
to pray — on the dear Saviour was their only 
dependence. 

Yet, with all their pious efforts, the first and 
last thoughts of the children were about dear 
dead Beiszman. Cheerfully would they have 
denied themselves food for a whole day, if only 
his life could have been saved. Even their 


88 THE RICH MAN AND THE POOR MAN. 

dreams were of the dog. The next morning 
was Christmas, and the worn-out children were 
permitted to sleep longer than usual. There 
was no need to get up before daybreak to start 
to the city with coal, for they had none ; neither 
had they bread to eat, for their coal was all 
lost. The destitute family was fortunate in 
having a few potatoes to boil, and as a substi- 
tute for coffee they had beet-root tea. The two 
sick little ones seemed better to-day, at least 
they appeared more cheerful. Gotthelf sat at 
the window, gazing through the frozen panes, 
weeping most bitterly and aloud. 

“What a pity it is for us to lose, by your 
blowing on the window panes, those pretty 
frosted flowers,” began Elizabeth. 

“ I like flowers better in the garden and in 
the woods,” answered Gotthelf. “ What good 
can these cold, frozen flowers do us? They 
don’t smell, and you can’t take them in your 
hand.” 


FEAR AND JOY. 


89 


“ Even by these frost images you can be 
taught to praise the goodness and mercy of 
God, who for our pleasure, if not for our use, 
allows our very breath to freeze into beautiful 
pictures upon the window panes. Our sainted 
father often said that the most learned could 
not give a satisfactory reason why it is so ; and 
the small flakes of snow, if closely examined, 
are found to be crystals of different shapes.” 

“ Oh,” began Gotthelf, if only the snow was 
not so deep, that.we could give our good Beisz- 
man a nice burial.” 

“ Do stop your constant talk about our poor 
dog,” answered the mother quickly. “ This is 
your first and last thought. I don’t think you 
wept more for your dear father than you now 
do for that dog. Shame on you !” 

The children did not feel ashamed, but were 
silent. A little later Elizabeth, who, also had 
gone to the window, exclaimed : 

“ See there ! Neighbor Gottfried is taking 


90 THE RICH MAN AND THE POOR MAN. 

home a Christmas tree from the fair. It is very 
high, and shines bright with its gold paper.” 

Poor sick Fritz began to weep, because he 
could not go to the window to see the tree. 
His kind sister went to him at once to comfort 
him. Gotthelf remarked : 

“ If we had thought of it, we might have cut 
Christmas trees, and taken them to the city to 
sell.” 

“Yes,” replied Elizabeth, “we might have 
been caught, too, by the forest keeper, and been 
put into the dungeon, and then we would have 
had to spend our Christmas there.” 

At this instant a rap was heard at the door. 
It was opened upon invitation, and a man clad 
in military uniform, with a sword at his side, 
entered. He was an officer of the government. 

“I am ordered,” he said in a harsh voice, 
“ to bring the two children along who yester- 
day placed their wagon in the way of the 
Baron’s horses. An investigation of the acci- 


FEAR AND JOY. 9 1 

dent has been commanded for this afternoon 
at four o’clock, and the children are needed as 
witnesses.” 

The two trembled with fear ; the sick chil- 
dren screamed with terror, and the mother wept 
and sorrowed. Surely her cup of sorrow was 
full ! This moved the heart of the rough-spoken 
officer. In a milder tone of voice he said : 

“ What is all this fuss about? Your heads 
are in no danger ; as you, like myself, have no- 
thing, nothing can be taken from you, and 
imprisonment is not to be thought of. For 
that would cost the government money.” 

“ But,” replied the widow, " why should my 
children be punished, when they have done no 
wrong — on the contrary, much good? for had 
they not placed the wagon in the road of the 
runaway horses, and thus stopped them, the 
youth Oscar would certainly have been killed. 
We are punished enough already, if punished 
we must be, in having lost our coal and wagon.” 


92 THE RICH MAN AND THE POOR MAN. 

“And by the death of our good Beiszman, 
too,” exclaimed Gotthelf, forgetting his mother’s 
command to keep silence. 

“ I know pretty nearly how the matter stands,” 
replied the officer. “ I have orders to bring 
the children. The quarriers, who were angry 
long ago, are trying their best to put the blame 
on some one else — on your children, for instance. 
The truth will appear at the trial. Now come 
along with me, children, and don’t be afraid; 
no one shall hurt you. This will all come out 
right for you, I don’t doubt.” 

At the command of the mother, they pre- 
pared to accompany the officer. 

“ Take good care of yourself, dear mother,” 
both called out. “ We will soon clear ourselves, 
and hurry home.” 

“ Don’t depend on this,” observed the officer 
to the mother. “ For the examination of the 
case does not commence until four o’clock, 
and it may continue several hours. At such 


FEAR AND JOY. 93 

a late hour I cannot allow the children to re- 
turn home alone. I must bring them back 
myself, for I will be held responsible for their 
safety. So rest easy, and let the children spend 
the night at my house, where they shall have 
a warm room and a soft bed ; and, in the morn- 
ing, a good hearty breakfast. I pledge you 
my word that no harm shall befall them.” 

These were comforting words, indeed, for the 
heart-broken mother. The children being once 
more kindly admonished by their parent, left 
with the officer. As they were passing out of 
the yard, Gotthelf said to their conductor : 

“ There lies our poor, good Beiszman, who 
was killed for us.” 

“ Pish !” said the constable, “ dogs are as 
plenty as blackberries.” 

This mortified the children most cruelly, and 
they wished heartily that they could return 
home. At last they arrived at the j udge’s house, 
and entered timidly. They were kindly received. 


94 the rich man and the poor man. 

however, by the judge, and invited to sit up 
to a well-laden table, with the encouraging 
words : 

“ Eat heartily, and I hope you will enjoy 
your dinner; after that, you can warm your- 
selves at the stove, or lie down there on those 
benches, and take a nap until I call you. You 
can also go to the fair, if you think it will afford 
you any pleasure. Only do not wander off too 
far from my residence.” 

The judge left the room. The children drew 
the two benches close together behind the 
stove, and began to talk about Beiszman. 

The investigation resulted as was anticipated. 
The proprietors of the quarries were found 
guilty of the accident, and the children innocent. 
The former were severely punished by fine and 
imprisonment, and the children praised for their 
forethought and prompt action. Yet not a 
word was said of giving them any remunera- 
tion for the loss they had sustained. However, 


FEAR AND JOY. 


95 


when the judge dismissed them, he said he sup- 
posed that “ when the Baron was able to be up 
and about again, he would, no doubt, amply 
reward them for preserving the life of his son, 
and for saving the horses and the coach.” 

Notwithstanding the lateness of the hour, and 
the darkness of the night, the children desired 
most anxiously to return home. This the offi- 
cer thought foolish and useless, and urged 
them to remain at his house over night, and 
start for home early in the morning. He also 
told them they could visit the fair and the mar- 
ket-house before bedtime. At last they con- 
sented to stay. 

In the market-house they found hundreds 
of people ; the stalls were all well filled, and 
the salesmen, with blue noses and chilled fin- 
gers, were praising their merchandise with 
voluble tongues and loud voices, so as to in- 
duce the people to buy. Gotthelf and Eliza- 
beth passed through the entire building, saw 


96 THE RICH MAN AND THE POOR MAN. 

much, wished for many things, talked little, 
and bought nothing. Not a single person was 
found in all that large crowd who pitied the , 
fatherless children, or gave them a single arti- 
cle to rejoice their hearts. 

There is a beautiful Christmas tree,” ex- 
claimed Elizabeth, pointing to a large residence 
near the market-house, in the first story of 
which was the tree. 

“ And there is another one !” called out Gott- 
helf “ And there, too ! See there !” 

“ Oh, see there !” said Elizabeth, weeping. 

“ Don’t cry, sister. Have you forgotten what 
our teacher told us yesterday? He said that 
‘the birth of Christ was a cause of great re- 
joicing, not only for those who could celebrate 
it with Christmas trees, but for the poor too. 
Through this Christ-child we all become chil- 
dren of God, and we are made rich.’ He said 
that ‘ if we are children of God, then also are 
we heirs, joint heirs with Christ — to things 


which are incorruptible, undefiled and that 
never fade away.’ Yes, dear sister, we shall 
have it better in heaven than we have it here 
upon earth. Our being poor need not keep us 
out of heaven ; for the Bible says that Christ 
became poor that we through his poverty 
might become rich. Don’t cry because you 
cannot have one of these beautiful Christmas 
trees. In heaven, where father now is, if we 
are good and serve God here, we shall have 
brighter, and better, and larger Christmas trees 
than any of these. Just look above you, and 
see how beautiful the floor of heaven is, and 
see how far we are from it. What must the 
inside of heaven be, where God has his throne, 
where angels worship him, and where the golden 
streets are, and the tree of life ; where there are 
no candles as here, not even a sun like ours ; 
but where God’s face shines with such glory 
as to light up all heaven ! Don’t you remem- 
ber our teacher told us all this, and more too ; 

9 G 


98 THE RICH MAN AND THE POOR MAN. 

that the pious poor will have it good there ; 
that there we need not suffer hunger, nor cold, 
nor any privation, but that our happiness shall 
be complete ? And we are poor ” 

“Ah, if God had given us only a little money,” 
interrupted Elizabeth ; “ but we have nothing. 
I would not want much ; we never have any 
good things to eat.” 

“ Lizzie,” answered Gotthelf, “you seem to 
me to be as fault-finding as Ernst was yester- 
day, when he told the teacher that he would 
sooner have one sparrow in his hand than two 
on the roof ; and sooner have one Christmas 
tree here on earth than a thousand in heaven. 
O ; and the teacher said, ^ How happy were the 
shepherds when they saw the star and heard 
the song of angels announcing the coming of 
Christ to this earth.’ Have we not something 
like that here? See yonder light shining out 
of those high windows; listen to that sweet 
music — all this is on account of the birth of 


FEAR AND JOY. 


99 


Christ. We have as much reason to rejoice 
as any one else. Come, let us go into that 
church; see, so many persons are going in. 
May be they will celebrate their Christmas 
there.” 

As they entered the church they found a 
large number of attentive worshipers present. 
The altar was glittering with burning tapers ; 
and large chandeliers hung from the spacious 
dome, shedding their effulgence all around : 
chants and songs were played and sung in rap- 
turous strains. The bashful children sought a 
retired seat, where no one was sitting. Here 
in low tones they uttered their surprise at what 
they saw. When the music had ended, the 
sermon began. The children listened atten- 
tively ; but they did not understand it all, and 
they did not wish to disturb the congrega- 
tion by leaving the house. Nature was ex- 
hausted and they fell asleep. Clasped in each 
other’s arms, they slept soundly. 


lOO THE RICH MAN AND THE POOR MAN. 

The services were ended, the people were 
leaving the church, the sexton was extinguish- 
ing the tapers — the children still slept. Loud 
through the empty building pealed the clock, 
striking nine, from the lofty tower — the chil- 
dren heard it not. Accompanied by a gentle- 
man, the sexton was approaching the last 
burning lamp to extinguish it. 

“ I must beg of you,” said the sexton to his 
companion, to visit me again to-morrow 
afternoon.” 

In answer to an interrogation from the gen- 
tleman, the sexton replied: “No, sir. From 
memory I cannot tell you much ; but the name 
Lazarus is quite familiar to me.” 

At this point the gentleman espied the two 
little sleepers. Elizabeth was lying with her 
left arm around her brother’s neck, and her 
head resting upon his shoulder. The cheeks 
of the pretty pair were fresh as roses. 

“Just look!” exclaimed the gentleman, sur- 


FEAR AND JOY. 


lOI 


prised, and no wonder. “ There lie two sleep- 
ing children. How easily they might have 
been forgotten and locked in here.” 

The sexton, who held in one hand a light, 
and in the other the extinguisher, reached out 
the latter to awaken the tired little ones. 

“ Let me do that,” begged the other ; “ you 
might frighten them.” 

He aroused them gently, and advised them 
to go home. Gotthelf awoke first, and rubbing 
his blue eyes, looked up sleepily into the face 
of the stranger. 

“ Father !” exclaimed the lad, his counte- 
nance changing, terrified and yet full of joy. 
“ Father !” he cried again, after scanning the 
stranger earnestly, at the same time reaching 
forth his arms to embrace the man, who, aston- 
ished, took some steps backwards. 

In the mean time Elizabeth awoke. She acted 
precisely as her brother had done. “Father! 
Father!” she cried, and ran to the man and 

9 * 


102 THE RICH MAN AND THE POOR MAN. 

embraced him. This conduct of the children 
was inexplicable to the gentleman. 

“ Will you not own us any longer ?” asked 
Gotthelf, sadly grieved at the indifferent man- 
ner of their supposed father. “ It never seemed 
to me that that dead disfigured miner could be 
my dear father, even though mother said he 
was. Where have you been so long a time, 
father? Oh, how mother wept and mourned 
for you ! And now to have you again at 
home. Oh, how happy she will be when she 
sees you !” 

“ Fritz and Sophie both have the measles, 
and Beiszman is dead,” interrupted Elizabeth. 

“ Don’t look at us so strangely,” begged 
Gotthelf; “ but kiss us as you used to do. Now 
everything will be all right again. We will go 
right away to mother, and the officer won’t ob- 
ject now, since you are with us.” 

Father don’t want to go with us ; I see he 
don’t,” exclaimed Elizabeth, bursting into tears. 


The stranger stood perplexed with utter 
amazement. 

“ This is a very singular circumstance,” said 
the gentleman. “ You are mistaken, children; 
I am not your father. I have never had either 
wife or children, and I am a perfect stranger 
here in this city.” 

Both the orphans sobbed, “ Yes ! yes ! you 
are our father — father looked just like you, and 
he had a voice exactly like yours. We know 
you are our father, though you will have no- 
thing more to do with us; you are no longer 
kind to us, although we obeyed you all the 
time you were away.” 

“ What was your father’s name ?” inquired 
the sexton. 

“ Lazarus,” answered Gotthelf, “ and there he 
stands.” 

“ Lazarus !” exclaimed the stranger. “ Thank 
God ! — the enigma is solved — the mystery is 
explained. Your father was my twin brother. 


104 the rich man and the poor man. 

Come to my heart, you dear precious child- 
ren.” 

With much difficulty the children were per- 
suaded of their error. The uncle took the 
children with him to the hotel, and provided 
for all their wants. He notified the officer that 
he would himself take charge of the little ones, 
and on the morrow accompany them to their 
home. The children, you may be sure, had 
much to tell their uncle that night. 




CHAPTER XI. 

THE UNCLES VISIT. 

'"Jl ^HE uncle could not sleep much that night. 

The mournful account he had heard from 
the children of the death of his twin brother, 
their father, and the great destitution and suf- 
fering of the family, filled him with sadness. 
From the children’s conversation, he judged 
his sister-in-law to be a woman of devoted piety 
and of unwavering integrity, and possessed of 
energy and perseverance. 

Francis Lazarus had learned the coopering 
trade ; but after a few years at this business he 
became a wine merchant, and was necessitated 
to travel a great deal. On one of these expe- 
ditions he had come to his birth-place, where 

he had not been for many years, and where he 
( 105 ) 


I06 THE RICH MAN AND THE POOR MAN. 

met, as we have described, with the children 
of his deceased brother. He had become tired 
of his roving, unsettled life, and had decided to 
locate in his native city and engage .in business 
there. To obtain information of his brother 
he had, as we saw in the previous chapter, 
addressed himself to the sexton of the church. 
Thus he accidentally discovered the two 
little sleepers, as has already been narrated. 

The next morning, after having purchased a 
number of Christmas presents and toys for the 
children, and a good supply of necessary pro- 
visions for the family, he hired a conveyance, 
and with the impatient children started for 
home. His appearance was more than a sur- 
prise. At first the widow firmly believed that 
she saw her husband before her. She was no 
less deceived than the children. 

On that day earnest, hearty, sincere joy and 
happiness reigned within that widow’s desolate 
home, which so long had been the scene of 


THE uncle’s visit. IO7 

tears, and sighs, and want. Even the loss of 
the faithful Beiszman, whom the mother had 
buried in the absence of the children, was 
made good by the uncle, in presenting the 
children with his own large, beautiful dog. At 
the dinner table the generous man told his 
sister-in-law the plan he had decided upon. 
He intended to return to the city, and secure 
a suitable and prominent place for his business, 
and also large enough for a family to occupy. 
He also desired, in furtherance of his plan, 
that his sister-in-law should move into the 
house with her children, and take charge of the 
domestic management. The poor widow con- 
sented most cheerfully. Towards the evening 
of the same day, the uncle returned to the city, 
having promised to repeat his visit in a day or 
two. 

After his departure, the widow Lazarus fell 
upon her knees, and with her children praised 
God aloud for his mercy and faithfulness, for 


I08 THE RICH MAN AND THE POOR MAN. 




his constant care and providence over her, and 
for his great goodness in sending deliverance 
at the time of her greatest need. Appropriately 
did she use the language of the Psalmist — 
“ Praise the Lord, oh my soul, and forget not 
all his benefits.” 




CHAPTER XII 
THE RICH MAN'S REPENTANCE. 

f ''HE Baron’s deplorable condition, bad as 
it was at first, was growing worse each 
day. Three men were scarcely able to control 
him in his insane ravings. He was at times 
exceedingly violent. After each of these at- 
tacks he would lie in a perfectly helpless and 
exhausted condition ; scarcely a trace of life 
was visible, and such a life was equivalent to 
dying a thousand deaths. The physicians, the 
Baroness, the children, and even the servants 
fealized this keenly. 

The physicians, after a final examination and 

consultation, decided that but one hope was 

left, and that was in a surgical operation. They 
lo (109) 


no THE RICH MAN AND THE POOR MAN. 


trusted by removing a portion of the skull to 
find the broken piece that occasioned all the 
trouble. The preparations for the operation 
were sickening and appalling: the hands and 
feet of the Baron were tied and secured to the 
couch upon which he lay. The fractured por- 
tion of the skull was removed with care and 
skill ; the suffering Baron shrieked with pain, so 
that his wife and children, who were in an ad- 
joining chamber praying Heaven’s blessing upon 
the operation, could no longer endure the heart- 
rending cries and groans. The Baroness fainted, 
and was carried, followed by the trembling and 
weeping children, into a room in a remote part 
of the building. The physicians did not per- 
mit their sympathy for their noble patient to 
interfere with the successful performance of the 
operation. 

It is a singular circumstance that the Baron, 
in the midst of his agony, remembered a pass- 
age out of God’s holy word, which perhaps 


THE RICH man’s REPENTANCE. 


Ill 


he had not seen for many years, because he 
cared nothing for the Bible — heeded not its 
precepts, and obeyed not its commands ; and 
yet, this particular passage was peculiarly ap- 
propriate to his past life : 

“Father Abraham!” burst from his trem- 
bling lips with inexpressible fervency and in- 
tensity, “ have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, 
that he may dip the tip of his finger in water 
and cool my tongue ; for I am tormented in 
this flame.” 

Well might his excruciating pains remind 
the wicked Baron of the pains and flames of 
hell! 

The operation was finally performed, though 
it was uncertain whether it would prove suc- 
cessful, or whether it would hasten his death. 
The Baron lay in a state of complete exhaus- 
tion, with a bandage around his head — the very 
image of death. Faint, very faint were the signs 
that life had not departed, and that the poor 


1 12 THE RICH MAN AND THE POOR MAN. 

sufferer was not already realizing the truth of 
the Scripture passage he had just quoted. 

Many days he passed in this condition, 
lingering between life and death. He refused 
all food, and spoke not a word. At last he 
opened his eyes, and gazed about the room 
with a look of surprise. His wife was sitting 
at the side of the bed ; on her his eyes rested. 

** Dear Caroline !” he said, in a faint voice. 
“ I must die. Do not interrupt me, for I have 
but a very few moments left to me — I must use 
them. I die ! and, oh ! I die a great sinner ! 
How can I appear before God, and give an ac- 
count of my stewardship ! I, who have mis- 
used or neglected the many gifts the good God 
conferred upon me! To do good with them, 
he bestowed upon me the wealth of my mines 
and large estate. But I locked my heart 
against all the appeals and entreaties of the 
poor. I cared not for my people, and, in addi- 
tion, subjected them to danger and suffering. 


THE RICH man’s REPENTANCE. II3 

Oh, Lazarus ! Lazarus ! thou art now sweetly 
resting in Abraham’s bosom, and I will soon 
be consigned to the flames and agonies of hell ! 

Oh, that my sorrow and repentance were not 
too late ! Of what good now to me are my 
palaces and my gold, my wealth and my influ- 
ence? Oh, the vanity and deceitfulness of 
earthly splendor. I realize now what Christ 
has said, ‘ How hardly shall they that have 
riches enter into the kingdom of God.’ Much 
was committed to my care; of me will much 
be required. Bring the children to my bed- 
side, that they may see my great sorrow, and 
here learn not to defer the work of repentance ; 
but that they may early become followers of 
Christ, and live a better life than has their dying 
father. Train them, my dear wife, in the fear 
of God, for usefulness here and eternal happi- 
ness hereafter. Restore to all what I have 
unjustly taken, and help the widow and pity # 
the fatherless. Give the widow Lazarus a thou 


10 ' 


1 14 the rich man and the poor man. 

sand dollars, and give five hundred dollars to 
each of her children. But I cannot restore to 
them their dear father. Oh, miserable, ungrate- 
ful wretch that I am ! Unfaithful steward ! I 
have wrapped my pound in a napkin and 
buried it. Woe is me !” 

The Baroness endeavored in vain to comfort 
her husband, who had recovered his senses 
only to agonize. As the Baron in his remorse 
quoted passages from God’s word, his wife had 
a copy of the Bible brought into the room. 
From it she hoped to draw comfort for her 
wretched husband. She realized that all 
her attempts at consolation could avail nothing. 
She read, “ The Son of man is come to seek 
and to save that which was lost.” 

“ But I have not hearkened to the call of my 
Saviour,” answered the Baron, deeply agitated. 

“ Wherefore, I say unto you,” the Baroness 
continued, “ all manner of sin and blasphemy 
shall be forgiven unto men.” 


THE RICH man’s REPENTANCE. II5 

“ My sins » are too many and too great 
for me to expect forgiveness. The blood 
of the murdered Lazarus cries to heaven for 
vengeance upon me! For I occasioned his 
death.” 

“ Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall 
be as white as snow ; though they be red like 
crimson, they shall be as wool,” continued his 
wife. 

“ My sorrow and repentance have come too 
late,” cried the wretched man. 

“ Do not speak thus,” answered his wife 
earnestly. ” The thief on the cross repented, 
when death was nearer to him than it is now 
to you. And what did the crucified Saviour 
say to him? ‘Verily I say unto thee, to-day^ 
shalt thou be with me in paradise.’ ” 

The blessed words sunk into his heart. He 
was silent — he folded his hands and sighed 
deeply. His eyes closed — he slumbered. He 
slept long and sweetly. He awoke somewhat 


Il6 THE RICH MAN AND THE POOR MAN. 

invigorated and strengthened ; his mind had 
been calmed by the inspired words of the Holy 
Scriptures. He seemed more hopeful of his 
acceptance with Christ; he felt as though there 
was mercy even for him, 

“ Let the widow Lazarus and her children 
be sent for,” were the first words he uttered 
upon his awakening. 

They were brought to his bedside. Sadly 
he looked at them. 

“ Poor children !” he said, “through me you 
have been made orphans. I have robbed you 
of your father. Oh, that it were possible for 
me to restore him to you again. Can you, and 
will you, forgive me, that I may die in peace — 
no, not in peace, but with less remorse ?” 

Moved to tears, the weeping widow extended 
her ready hand in proof of her willingness to 
be reconciled, and to forgive the injury. The 
sobbing children did the same. Said Gotthelf : 
“ My lord, we have found our father again.” 


THE RICH man’s REPENTANCE. 


7 


“Yes,” answered the Baron, mournfully, 
“ your Father in heaven.” 

“ No,” interrupted the widow, “ the child re- 
fers to my husband’s twin brother, who accom- 
panied us to your house.” 

The Baron desired to see him also. Upon 
the brother’s appearing before him, he was al- 
most persuaded that the spirit of the dead Laza- 
rus was before him; and was only convinced 
of his mistake by the sense of touch. Most 
cheerfully did he allow himself to be freed from 
his delusion. He induced the brother, after 
earnest solicitation, to count out the promised 
money for the widow and children ; after which 
he was again quiet, and in silent prayer pre- 
pared himself for his departure from this world. 

The physicians, most unexpectedly to every 
one, including the Baron, at a subsequent visit 
declared the Baron out of danger. Three 
months later he was able to leave his house for 
the first time since the accident, which he now 


Il8 THE RICH MAN AND THE POOR MAN. 

did with thanks and praises to his indulgent 
and beneficent heavenly Father, whose mercy 
had led him to repentance. 

Many persons resolve on their sick-beds to 
repent and serve God faithfully during the re- 
mainder of their lives, but after being restored 
to health they willfully forget their solemn 
promise. The Baron, we are happy to say, was 
an exception to this class of persons. He did 
not forget his fearful warning. From this time 
forward he consecrated himself, his energies, 
his talents, his wealth, his all to the service of 
God his Saviour, and to the amelioration of the 
suffering of all around him. He was now 
heartily and earnestly “ seeking to lay up for 
himself treasures in heaven, where neither 
moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves 
do not break through nor steal.” 

With the fear and love of God before him, 
he trained up his children in the way they 
should go, and chose Gotthelf and Elizabeth 


THE RICH man’s REPENTANCE. I IQ 

as playmates for them ; and he had them edu- 
cated together. Oscar and Lily grew up not 
only well behaved,* respectful and polite, but 
pious and affectionate children, affording their 
parents great joy. 

Francis Lazarus, as he had promised, gave 
his sister-in-law and her children a good home, 
and God prospered him in his business. Sun- 
shine and happiness were under his roof 

The Baron, with his family, frequently visited 
this now happy household, and spent many 
pleasant and profitable hours in conversation, 
rejoicing with them over the prosperity God 
had bestowed upon them. 

When Gotthelf had grown to manhood, the 
Baron appointed him general superintendent of 
all his mines. He enjoined upon him to be faith- 
ful to his trust, kind and indulgent to the poor, 
respectful to all, knowing that God sees and 
remembers each and every act, concluding his 
advice to the youth with these words : 


120 THE RICH MAN AND THE POOR MAN. 


“ Be wiser than I was, my son, — I, who had 
not only Moses and the prophets, but Christ 
and the gospel, to teach me* and urge me to a 
discharge of my duty ! Be wiser than I was, I 
repeat, so that it may not be necessary for God 
to lead you to a knowledge of yourself, and to 
repentance, by the same rough road that he did 
me. Ever bear in mind these solemn words : 


wlmi slmll it profit u mmt, if he shnJl 
ijmn the whole world, mtd tone his own soul?* 



1S55. 



1S75, 

LUTHERAN PUBLICATION SOCIETY, 

No. 42 NORTH NINTH STREET, PHILADELPHIA. 

*T. JjL. Shryoch, Superintendent. 


E take pleasure in announcing to the 
Church and to the Trade in general, that 
we have commenced the publication of 
the 

(Jfiitlttrlaiul Merits, 

as follows: 

‘THE COTTAGE bythe LAKE/^ 

Translated from the German of Martin Claudius, by 
Mis= R. H. SeniVELY. “When the need is sorest God's 
help is nearest.” 

16mo, Cloth, a Beautiful Frontispiece, 160 pages, $0.75. 

“ This volume will supply a want in our Sunday-schoo'. 
Libraries, tD which the Religious Press has called attenliun 
— books of a more devotional and evangelical character 
The Wilmer Family is characteiized by all that makes the 



\ 







2 


‘ Schoenberg Cotta Family’ so univeiially attractive. * * • 
We can confidently recommend this book, translated with 
all elegance of diction, and with all the w irmth and pathos 
of the German heart. * * * All classes will be instructed 
and elevated by this kind of literature. It has channs for 
the youthful and the mature, and will profit every one 
Mrs E. B. S. 

“IN THE MIDST OFTHE NORTH SEA.’* 
From the German of Marie Roskowska, by 
J. F. Smith, Esq. 

16mo, Cloth, Two Engravings, $0.75. 

A story of life upon one of the lonely little islands (or 
Halligen) lying in the North Sea off the German coast. 
The loneliness and the dangers accompanying a residence 
upon these barren, marshy spots, are dramatically described, 
and the characteristics of the two families are painted most 
naturally. The incidents of “ Lost in the Fog,” “ The 
Shipwreck,” and “The Inundation,” are full of interest; 
and the earnest piety that pervades the narrative will recom- 
mend it to any Christian family or Sabbath School. The 
tale is full of excitement, and yet is anything but sensational. 


Xx 


‘‘ANTON, THE FISHERMAN.*' 


By Franz Hoffmann. Translated by Mrs. M. A. 

Manderson. 

16mo, Cloth. Three Fine Original Engravings, $0.85. 

“A very interesting story of humble life, illustrating do- 
mestic happiness, and the prevalence of industiy, manliness, 
and integrity — together with the providential deliverances 
that sometimes occur in the midst of the trials that beset 
the believing poor.” — TAe Ltitheran and Missknary, 
rhiladelphia. 


3 



“Anton, the Fisherman/ —“We call the at 

.enaon of the joublic to this beautiful book, just issueo 
by the Lutheran Board of Publication. It is from the 
famous Hoffmann of Dresden, who has won a world-wide 
fame as the writer of popular stories for the young. The 
translation i§ so natural and graceful, that no one would 
suspect its German origin. The book is in the best style 
of book-making, and has elicited universal admiration. 
Let the Church encourage our publications, with a prompt, 
cheerful, and generous patronage .” — Lutheran Observe^'. 


‘‘Rene, the Little Savoyard.” 

By Franz Hoffmann. Translated by J. F. Smith, Esq. 
16mo, Cloth, Two Excellent Original Engravings, $0.S5. 

“ I have just read with great pleasure, ‘ Rene,’ in your 
very attractive Fatherland Series. It is a brilliant little 
stor>', and is well translated. The children (and their 
parents) will be delighted with these pure and beautiful 
books, which I hope may have the wide circulation they 
deseiwe.” Yours, C. P. Krauth. 


“FRITZ; OR, FILIAL LOVE.” 

By Franz Hoffmann. Translated by M. A. Manderson 
16mo, Cloth, One First Class Original Engraving, $0.65. 

“A channing story, founded upon the life of one of 
Frederick the Great’s generals. The healthy pious tone 
that pervades the book, as well as the literary merit, should 
recommend it to every family and Sunday-school Lil rary. 
We venture to say that no boy will read this pleasant nar- 
rative without v/ishing to know ir.'re of Prussia’s great 
king. 


“GEYER W^ETY; 

OH, FIDELITY REWARDED.” 

By Franz Hoffmann. Translated by M. A. Manderson 
16mo, Cloth, Seven Superior Original Engravings, 

iruwn by D. R. Knight, Esq., and engraved by Van Ingen & Snyder, ii 
lieir very best manner, and printed on the best quality of plate paper. 

We have no fear, in offering this beautiful book to out 
patrons, that they will not be pleased with it, either in a 
literary or artistic point of view. Geyer Wiilty is a sturdy, 
healthy story, worth reading by young or by old, and will 
bear comparison with the best tales of its class. No pains 
have been spared upon this volume, the translation and en- 
gravings being’ all original, and of the most expensive 
character. 

The present book is the last of the first set of the Fi^ 
THERLAND SERIES. The 6 volumes will be put up in an 
extra neat case, and will be sold at $5.00, including the box. 

Other Volumes are in prepai-ation, and will be pub- 
lished as rapidly as possible. We trust that in future The 
Lutheran Church will feel that the interests of our 
Sunday Schools will not be neglected. 

We call upon the entire Church to aid us in our efforts. 

The Board of Publication have entered upon this under- 
taking by no means unadvisedly. Co-operating with numer- 
ous German scholars well read in this class of literature, 
we have selected a series of works to be published as 
rapidly as circumstances wull permit — works that will 
surely commend themselves to all interested in the Sunday 
School and the family. 

The genuine religious sentiment, the touching pathos, thf 
heartsoineness, as well as the dramatic interest of these 
stories of Hoffmann, of Horn, and of kindred writers, are 
well known to the German reader; and we trust by ouj 


5 


tianslations to make German thought btrter known to ttie 
voutliful English reader, whom we hope to familiarize with 
scenes and incidents of the Fatherland. 

We ask the kind consideration and countenance of ihe 
Hook Trade generally, but particularly of those engaged 
m the publishing and sale of Sunday-school books. 

We add a few of the many flattering notices we have 
received from our friends. 

The Fatherland Series. From the Gennan. Phila- 
delphia: Lutheran Board of Publication. — “Under this 
title the Lutheran Board of Publication have begun what 
promises to be an interesting and useful series of Sunday- 
school books. They comprise translations from some of 
the best German writers for the young, carefully selected 
from an evangelical stand-point, with a view to make Ger- 
man thought better known to English youthful readers, and 
to familiarize them with the scenes and incidents of German 
life. The two volumes just issued are entitled, ‘In the 
Midst of the North Sea,’ and ‘Anton, the Fisherman.’ 
Both are interesting, capital books, having a good deal of 
dramatic power, and pervaded by a beautiful Christian 
fa th and simplicity. The first named shows the sad evils 
of an envious, jealous spirit ; and the last is a testimony 
to the sure word of Scripture, ‘ Trust in the Lord and do 
good, so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shall 
l»e fed .’” — The Sunday-school Times. 

Lazvrence, Kansas, March i, 1870. 

“Your books lately published, ‘In the Midst of the 
North Sea,’ and ‘Anton, the Fisherman,’ are first rate, and 
with such books your reputation will soon be established. 

I am well pleased with your :ommendable efforts and 
access in gel ling out good b'ok'. 

“Yours, 11. P. Belmer.’* 


6 


New MiddletowA , March 2, 1870. 

“ 1 received ‘ In llie Midst of the North Sea,’ sent by 
fou a couple of weeks since. Thank you for your kindness 
in sending it. Have read it carefully. Am highly pleased 
with it. Think it a perfect gem for the Sabbath School. 
Besides many other valuable lessons, it clearly exhibits the 
hand of Providence in the preservation of the Islanders. 

“Yours, J. B. Miller.” 

Baiubridge, Pa., March 7, 1870. 

“I have read ‘Anton,’ and am even better pleased with 
it than I was with ‘ In the Midst of the North Sea.’ Good, 
better. I am, truly and fraternally, 

“Yours, F. T. Hoover.” 

Nei.o Germantown, March 15, 1870. 

“ The publications you send me are admirable eveiy way 
ind I only wish I could sell many of them for you. 

“Yours, J. C. Duy.” 

Sharpsville, Tipton Co., Ind., March 20, 1870 

“ I hereby acknowledge the receipt of two volumes of 
your Sunday-school Publications, ‘ North Sea,’ and ‘Anton.’ 
f have hastily perused these little narratives, and find them 
\^eiy interesting and spicy, and can heartily recommend 
them to the Sabbath School and the public generally, as 
safe companions for both young and old 

“A. H. Scherer.” 

Harrisburg, March 29, 1S70. 

“‘How do I like the series?’ Well, really, I hardly 
know how to express myself; but I have a little four-year- 
old chip of the old block, who, when anything pleases 
him 7 'ery mu h, says, ‘ Do it again.’ Now, that i? just wha; 


7 

1 say to the publUier and the translator : Do ii again, and 
you do the Church good. 

“ Fraternally yours, Jno. J. Rebman.” 

Croton Landing, March 30, 1870. 

“ I am very much pleased with your ‘ Fatherland 
Series.’ Yours, truly, W. 13 . Askam.” 

College Hill, O., March 30, 1870. 

“ Enclosed pleased find 85 cents for Rend, which 1 read 
with zest, and think it to be a good book for our American 
youth. Yours in X., J. C. Prodfuehrer.” 

Newton, Iowa, April 7, 1870. 

Your new books, translations from the German, are 
highly popular. Go on with the good work. \Ve are glad 
to get them as fast as published. 

“Yours in Gospel bonds, H. S. Cook.” 

Smithshurg, Md., April 2, 1870. 

“ The books are beautiful and good. 

“ Yours, L. J. Bell.” 

Orangeville, III., April 2, 1870. 

“ I have just received yours of 25th ult., together with 
'Jie book you sent by mail. I have received three — ‘ North 
Sea,’ ‘ Anton,’ and ‘ Rene,’ which, by the way, are the 
most excellent Sunday-school books I have ever had the 
I leasure to examine, and I thank God that our Publication 
Society has the honor of bringing them before the public. 

“ Yours, truly, J. K. Bloom.” 

Bainbridge, Pa., April 2, 1870 

“Our school here at B. has ordered a copy of each 0/ 
the Fatherland Series. I have read the opening chapter 
of ‘ Rene.’ Our librarian at Maytown, Mr. C. Peck, says 
it is the liest Sunday-school book he has read for a long 
time. Yours, F. T. Hoover.” 


8 


York, Pa., April 4, 1870. 

“ Please send me ‘ Cottage by the Lake.’ The othe 
volumes of the Fatherland Series I have. I am mud 
|.)leased with the books. If you publish a thousand volumes, 
send them all to me, and draw on me for the amount they 
cost J. H. Menges.” 

Lockport, April 9, 1870. 

“ Since I have three of the Series you are publishing at 
present, I would desire to have the first number — ‘The 
Cottage by the Lake.’ This number you have not sent me. 
Those you sent me I read with great interest, and am much 
pleased with them, and trust they may be largely circulated. 

“ Yours, truly, , M. '')RT.” 

Canton, O., April 4, 1870. 

Enclosed find the amount of your bill for the ‘ Father- 
land Series.’ The books are very interesting, and my 
children are delighted with them. 

“Yours, L. M, Kuhns.” 

Harrisburg, April 7, 1870. 

•Your book entitled ‘Fritz,’ is all right. Go ahead; 
the more of that kind you publish the better. 

“ Your.», fraternally, G. F. Steeling.” 

Selinsgrove, Api'il 6, 1870. 

“ 1 am glad to see you bringing out such nice, neat books. 
You can send us one copy of all new publications until 
otherwise ordered. Consider us standing subscribers. 

“Yours, J. G. L. SiiiNDEL.” 

Frostburg, Mil., April 6, 1870. 

“ ‘ The Fatherland Series ’ I am pleased with. They 
compare favorably with any of the publications of the day 
— a-re a credit to the Society. 

“Yours. H. Bishop ” 



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